By Thomas Campion — La Solitaire du Figaro
Apart from the return of the sun, conditions in the Bay of Biscay have barely shifted. The Figaro fleet continues its southwesterly push towards the Spanish coast, still sailing in a steady 20-knot breeze. All 35 boats are currently at the latitude of La Rochelle. Tomorrow is shaping up to be more tactical, with a crucial wind shift looming as the fleet makes for Cape Finistère. As the hours tick by, the wind is expected to veer from southwest to south — a new race within the race. For now, the sailors are focused on recovery and gearing up for their third night at sea.
At the 18:00 position report, Tom Dolan on Kingspan holds the lead ahead of Arno Biston (Article.1) and Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif 2025). Rookie Paul Loiseau on Région Bretagne – CMB Espoir sits fourth, just ahead of Nicolas Lunven on PRB. The fleet is spread across 16 miles of ocean, with Hugo Dhallenne holding the western flank and Nicolas Lunven pushing hard to the east. The Bay of Biscay is living up to its notorious reputation once again, and this leg will no doubt leave its mark on the fleet before the finish. The leaders are 260 miles from salvation at Vigo.
Originally published in French by La Solitaire du Figaro.
